Shoe-fastening.



3 O 9 l nw 1 V O N D E T N E T A P L..A. BOEHME. SHOE FASTENING. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

M17716S gigww ings, A indicates UNITED STATES Patented November 10, 1903.

PATENT OFF-ICE.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPEGIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,680,

dated November 10, 1903.

Application filed May 4, 19%. Serial No. 155,602. (No model.)

To all 2072/0174, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS A. BOEHME, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fastenings for shoes, and has for its objects to provide a cheap, simple, and efiective device for the purpose named that can be quickly and easily adjusted, as desired, that will remain in the place to which adjusted, and that will yield slightly in a lateral direction,whereby greater ease and comfort are afforded the wearer of the shoe. I accomplish these objects as illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter particularly described.

That which I claim as new will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a shoe with my improved fastening device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional .view on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of myfastoning device, partly broken away and show ing only a portion of each of the strips on which are mounted the slides. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower ends of the'strips and showing also the plate to which said strips are piv oted. Fig. 5 is a section at line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of spring-loop.

Referring to the several figures of the drawa shoe to the upper of which are attached two thin metal strips a, each being located at one side of the usual front opening in the shoe and each strip held slightly above the face of the upper by. thin washers 17, (see Fig. 2,) the washers and strips being held in place by suitable rivets, as shown. At the lower end of the front opening referred to is attached by rivets or in any suitable manner a small plate 0, to which the metal strips or are pivoted at d d.

B B indicate two slides, each having on its under side and preferably formed integral therewith two oppositely located flanges adapted to project between one of the metal strips a. and the shoe-upper, so as to hold the slides to their respective strips and yet peretscarried by the two mit them to be moved longitudinally of said strips. The holding of the strips away from the shoe bythe washers b provides the required space for the said flanges. d indicates a horizontally-disposed socket on each slide B.

eindicates a spring-loop, preferably formed of a single piece of spring-wire and having its ends bent to adapt them to enter the sockslides, such ends being entered from the outer ends of the sockets and the spring-loop acting to draw the two slides toward each other, which of course tends to keep the shoe-opening closed. The shape of the loop is immaterial so long as it tends to draw the parts together as described.

I have shown in Fig. 6 a modified form at c. More than one pair of slides can be employed on a shoe, of course, if desired.

The two strips or guides at a are flat thin strips, which will readily yield as the wearers v foot moves in walking, and are therefore much preferable to devices of this same general character wherein the strips are bent longitudinally to form the guides proper for the slide to engage, for in such latter construction the strips tudinal bending are of course stifiened to such an extent as to prevent their yielding readily with the movements of the foot of the wearer. I

When a shoe provided with my improved fastening device is to be removed from the foot, the slides are to be moved down to the lower end ofthe shoe-opening, which will permit the strips to be turned sufficiently on their pivots d d to permit the foot to be withdrawn, the loop also yielding as required. Such yielding of the loop is also had-in a slight degree when the device is in use, which tends to greater comfort on the part of the wearer of the shoe.

I have shown and described my invention as a fastening for shoes; but it is of course evident that it is adapted for use in connection with other articles.

That which I claim as my invention, and

desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

by reason of their longi- 100p connecting the slides together, snbstanscribed, the combination with two strips and tially as specified. means for securing each strip at opposite 2. In a fastening device of the class dcsides of an opening, of a slide on each strip, scribed, the combination with two strips and and a spring-loop connecting the slides to- 5 means for pivotally sficuring eachtrip at on]? I gather, substantially as specified.

end, of a slide on eac strip, a soc et on eac slide, and a spring-loop having its ends in- LOUIS LOLHME' sorted in said sockets, substantially as spcci- Witnesses: fied. ALBERT H. ADAMS, 1o 7 3. In a fastening device of the class de- HELEN M. COLLIN. 

